Definition
Press release distribution is a technique that combines public relations and link building. It involves writing a professional press release about your company's news (product launch, partnership, event) and distributing it via distribution platforms (PR Newswire, Business Wire, or in France: CategoryNet, 24presse). Press releases are picked up by news sites and aggregators, generating backlinks. However, Google has clearly stated that links in mass-distributed press releases are considered artificial links and should be nofollow. The value lies more in visibility and traffic than in direct link juice.
Key Points
- Links from mass-distributed releases are generally devalued by Google
- The main value is visibility, referral traffic, and branding
- The release must contain truly newsworthy content
Practical Examples
Product launch
LemmiLink publishes a press release for a new feature launch. The release is picked up by 30 tech news sites, generating visibility and referral traffic.
Press release abuse
Some SEOs publish artificial releases solely for links. Google devalues these links and quality platforms reject non-newsworthy releases.
Frequently Asked Questions
The direct SEO impact is low as links are generally nofollow. The real value lies in brand visibility, referral traffic, and the potential to be picked up by real journalists with editorial links.
Distribution platforms range from free (low reach) to several hundred euros per release for premium distribution. In France, the main platforms are CategoryNet, 24presse, and Mynewsdesk.
Go Further with LemmiLink
Discover how LemmiLink can help you put these SEO concepts into practice.
Last updated: 2026-02-07